For urbanites that venture out of the city for day trips or vacations, driving past endless fields, farms and crops can be a fun change of pace.
Between clear blue skies and contrasting seas of budding yellow canola, golden straws of wheat, lush green crops of field peas, spotted cows, brown cows, fluffy sheep, pigs, chickens and more, rural Alberta is an agricultural wonderland.
But how many people actually know what’s out there, in the fields?
Alberta-based charity Agriculture for Life has come up with an innovative yet simple campaign called What’s in the Field.
“We had the realization that there is such an amazing opportunity to work with farmers and ranchers and turn the landscape of Alberta into a classroom,” said Agriculture for Life CEO Luree Williamson.
Farmers and ranchers that want to participate can sign up online to receive customized signs to put up near their crops or livestock. The signs will answer the question, “what’s in the field?”
According to Williamson, the signs will clearly state the type of crop or animal in the field and direct viewers to the Agriculture for Life website to learn more about it.
“As we start to get different animals, different crop varieties, we’ll build on that on our website so people can go look for more information,” she said.
While the campaign is set to run from July to October, Williamson said the organization plans to launch the campaign annually.
“Every year we want to add on educational components so there will be an opportunity for further learning,” she said. “We’ll have maybe some podcasts or videos that will relate to that field and that producer.”
According to Williamson, agriculture is an important part of our daily lives and a growing public interest to learn more about Alberta’s producers helped inspire the What’s in the Field campaign.
“We forget that generations are removed from the farm and a lot of people don’t understand the fundamentals of agriculture and where their food comes from,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to educate all Albertans with regards to where their food comes from, what’s growing, how important agriculture is to our economy and the role it plays in their lives.”
Alberta farmers and ranchers benefit from the campaign too, according to Williamson.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest from consumers…wanting to know what the farmers are doing, what they’re growing…and so this provides an opportunity for them to get involved with that educational process,” she said. “There’s a lot of pride in farming and…farmers love to tell their stories and share what it is that they do.”
Farmers and ranchers interested in participating in What’s in the Field can sign up at agricultureforlife.ca/whats-in-the-field There is no fee to participate.
